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19 1 624 687 Aim] 12 27 w. H. SMITH TANK FILLING MEANS Filed June 24, 1925 2 Sheets$heet 1 1IE l awue/wlloz April 12 1927..

w. l-psmm l TANK FILLING MEANS Filed June 24 192g Qmmw 3e 5 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr, 12, 1927. a

UNIT D sieves WILLIAM H. SMITH, or OAKLAND, canine-unis] LPATENTl TANK-FILLING MEANS.

- Application filed June 24;, 1926. Serial No. 118,279.,

r The invention relates to mechanisms for insuring .a more or less constant level of then: made for rapidly closing the valve, so

that difliculties encountered with slow-closing valves, are effectively overcome;

Another object of the invention is to provide tank fillingmeans which will be rather simple and inexpensive, yet will be exceptionally efiicient, reliable, and in every way desirable. p r "lVith the foregoing in view, the invention resides inthe novel subject matter herein- 2 after described and claimed, the description being" supplemented by the accompanying drawings. Figs. 1 and 2 are side elevations partly broken away and in section, Fig.1 showing the invention with the tank filling valve open and positively held in open position,

when the valve is closed.

' Fig. 3 is a top plan view.

whereas Fig.2 discloses the relationof parts Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view as indicated byline of Fig. 3. ""The preferred form of construction has been illustrated, and while such construction will be rather specifically described, it is to be understood at the outset, that within the scope of the invention as claimed, various modifications may bemade.

The numeral 5 designates an appropriate base from which two bearings 6 and 7 rise. Supported by one of these bearings is the terminalS of a water supply line 9 leading from citypressu-re or" from other desired source; said line having-a valve 10 provided with means whereby it' is normally closed. 11 designates the stem of this valve, said stern being connected to a cross arm 12 from which rods 13 rise through an 'appropriate gurd'efllfl, the upperzend's of said rods having connectlon with an additional crossarm "15.

Between/thislastnamed cross em nates 5 guide 14, a compression.spring 16 is provided. said spring acting to closejthevalve I quickly when "permitted to function. Se cured to and rising from the cross" arm 15",

is a rod 17 which'is pivotally connected at 0 1 8 to a substantially:horizontal,valve-open ing lever 19. This lever is disposed above the base, 5* and is, fulcruined upon a supporting link 20 which rises from and is pivoted v to said-base. Provision is made, hereinafter describedffor ope1-atingthis lever to open the valv 10, when the water level"; in the tank or boiler with which the invention is used, recedes to a predetermined extent. i I Rotatabl'y support-ed" by the bearing '7, 'is a pipemember 21 which is swi'veled as at 22,

to a pipe 23 leadingto the boiler or tank with which the iri-ventionis used] Secured to the pipe member 21 is a coupling 24 having a socket 25 whichieceives a, cylin 7a drica-l projection "26 on a coupling 27 which is secured to the terminal 8, above described,

.A branch pipe 28 leads; from thiscoupling to. the boiler ortank and when the valve 10 is open, .water under" pressure travelsv so through thepipe line 9-, through saidj'valve,

through the coupling 27 and 'hroug'h the jpi-pe'28,to said tank or boiler.

Secured to, communicating with, and

projecting laterally from the co1-1pling24; .85 v

is a short pipe'29, which -pipe carries and communicates with a receptacle 30 which is l spaced 'above the base 5, a ventjvpipe' 31 being connected with the upper part of this receptacle. and leading to the tank or boil? 9o er, at a point above the water. level. An arched frame 3'2"transversely straddles the receptacle 30 and is secured to the base '15, and upon the crown of this frame, a wei h-e ed lever 33 is fulcrumed, the weight 345 of said lever being adjustablymounted on one of its ends, while the other end of this lever is linked as at 35,150 the receptacle 30. This receptaclehas acne-way connection with the valve'opening lever 19, so that ice when said receptacle is-raised bythe action of thewe i-ght 34 and lever- 33', said lever 19v will be actuated to open the valve 10. In establishing this one-way connection, I prefer to provide a vertical rod 36, pivoted at 37 to the receptacle 30, the upper end of said rod passing through an opening 38 in the lever 19 and having a shoulder 39 un'- derlying said lever. 7

The end of the lever 19, associated with the rod 36, is disposed adjacent one leg of the arched frame 32, and-mounted on this leg, is a latch 40, said latch preferably comprising a straight vertical bar pivoted betweenv its ends at 41 and having a notch 42in its upper end toengage the lever 19 and hold the latter in valve-open position. The pivot l1 is rather loose, and an overbalancing arm 43 projecting from the latch 40 may therefore be relied upon to engage said latch with the lever 19. When this latch and lever are engaged with each other as shown in Fig. 1, the lower end of said latch is inclined and is in the downward path of a projection t4: on the receptacle 30, it being remembered that this receptacle is now in an elevated position, the water level in it and in the tank or boiler are I rather low and the valve 10 is being positively held open. As the water level in the tank or boiler rises, it flows through the pipe 23, swivel connection 22, pipe member 21, coupling 24 and pipe 29, into the receptacle 30, and the weight of the water collecting in this receptacle, causes it to gradually lower against the action of the lever 33 and weight 34. By the time the receptacle is about full of water, the pin 44 has released the latch 40 as shown in Fig. 2. Thus the lever 19'is quickly freed and the spring 16 then immediately acts to close the valve 10.

It may here be further explained that during the gradual downward movement of the receptacle 30 while the lever 1.9 is held by the latch 4.0, the rod 36 moves downwardly with respect to said lever 19, said rod then sliding through the opening 38. When the latch releases the lever. however, and the valve 10 closes, said lever again assumes an operative relation with the shoulder 39. Thus, as the water level in the receptacle 30 lowers, due to corresponding lowering of the liquid level in the tank or boiler, the weighted lever 33-34, will again raise said receptacle, and during this raising move ment, shoulder 39 will move lever 19 to valve-open position. When this position of the lever 19 is reached, the latch 40 engages said lever and holds it to maintain the valve in a completely open position, until" said latch is again tripped by the projection 44.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the invention, While being rather simple and inexpensive, will be highly efficient and in every way desirable, particular attention being directed to the fact that the valve 10 does not gradually close, but is positively held in completely open position until the instant when it should close, at which instant it is released and quickly shut. Thus, disadvantages well known to the art, resulting from slowly closing valves, are effec tively overcome.

I claim z- 1. The combination with a tank; of filling means therefor comprising a liquid inlet valve, means for quickly closing said valve when permitted to function, a lever operatively connected with said valve, and moved to a predetermined position by opening thereof, a latch'for positively holding said lever in said position to hold the valve open, and means actuated by predetermined rise of liquid in the tank for automatically releas ing said holding means.

2. The combination with a tank; of 1'il1 ing means therefor comprising a liquid in let valve, means for quickly closing said valve when permitted to function, a lever operatively connected with said valve and moved to a predetermined position by opening thereof, a latch for positively l1olding said lever in said position to hold the valve open, and a liquid-lowered receptacle adjacent said latch adapted for connection with the tank to lower upon rise-of liquid in said tank, said tank having a portion to release said latch when the receptacle lowers to a predetermined degree.

3. The combination with a tank; of filling means therefor comprising a base, a pipe pivotally mounted thereon for connection with the tank, a receptacle secured to and communicating with said pipe, an arched frame transversely straddling said receptacle and secured to said base, a weighted lever fulcrumed on the crown of said arched frame and connected with said receptacle for normally lifting the latter, a filling valve for the tank, means for closing said valve when permitted to function, a valve opening lever above the base and connected with the valve, a support upon which said lever is fulcrumed, said support rising from said base, a latch pivoted to one leg of said arched frame for holding said lever in valveopen position when moved'to such position, means on said receptacle for releasing said latch when the receptacle lowers to a predetermined extent, and a one-way connection between said receptacle and said lever for moving the latter to valve-opening position as the receptacle ascends.

l. The combination with a tank; of filling means therefor comprising a base, a pair of bearings rising therefrom in spacedrelation, a liquid supply line. having its terminal supported by one of said bearings, said line having a valve, a coupling member be tween the two bearings and secured to said terminal, said coupling member having an outlet for connection with the tank and being provided with acylindrical projection, a second coupling having a socket which receives said cylindrical projection, ashort pipe member connected wlth said second coupling and rotatably supported by the other of said pair of bearings, piping swiveled to said pipe member and adapted for connection with the tank, a pipe rigidly connect- 1 ing laterally from said second edwith, communicating With and project-- coupling, and controlling means for' the aforesaid valve, including a receptacle with which the last named pipe is connected.

In testimony whereof I fixed my signature.

s WILLIAM H. SMITH.

have hereunto far- 

